Newport is an suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km south-west of the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Hobsons Bay local government area.
Newport is an suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km south-west of the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Hobsons Bay local government area. Newport had a population of 12,916 at the 2016 Census.
Newport is approximately 10 minutes by car from Melbourne via the West Gate Freeway or a 20-minute train journey from Flinders Street.
History
The Yalukit-willam people of the Boon-wurrung Country are the traditional owners of land known as Newport, with a well researched connection to the area beyond 30,000 years. First contact came with European sealers (1803–1834) and followed a pattern of violence typical across Australia at the time. In 1835 the arrival of John Batman saw a treaty established and a period of relative peace. However, despite this the plight of the Australian Aborigines was dire, as they were increasingly denied ownership and access to their lands.
European settlement began in Newport at what was then called Williamstown Junction around 1862, with a Telegraph Office and Post Office by 1869. It was renamed Newport in 1881. The Newport Railway Workshops played a key role in the development of the suburb, formerly the main workshops of the Victorian Railways. The workshops are just south of the Newport railway station. The Newport Power Station is another feature of the suburb, the chimney of which remains one of the tallest towers in Melbourne at 183 metres. The original coal-fired generators were replaced in 1981 with a single 500MW gas-fired generator and operates during peak-load periods.
Weather
Things to do
Newport is home to people of a diverse mix of ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. It has a Mosque, a Baptist church, Catholic schools, tattoo parlours, Asian and Italian restaurants, sports clubs, boutique wine bars and an RSL. It has 12 playgrounds within just 5 km2. 'The Substation' Community Arts centre provides a hub for local live music performances, art exhibitions, community events and the monthly artists market. The Newport Folk Festival is held each year in June. Major natural features of the suburb include the Newport Lakes, Greenwich Bay and the Sandy Point Conservation area. Fishing, bike-riding, skate-boarding, kayaking and boating are popular local activities.